Psyche was the fairest of the three princesses. Her two older sisters were already happily married but nobody dared to propose to Psyche because she was so beautiful.  Instead people from far and wide would gather outside her window to adore her. The temples of Aphrodite (also known as Venus) grew empty as people flocked to see this beautiful woman who was rumored to be a goddess.

Aphrodite as jealous as ever, sent her son Cupid to kill her. But when cupid saw the sleeping Psyche he was so struck by her beauty that he wounded himself with one of his arrows and instantly fell in love with the lonely princess.

Psyche's parents were upset about not being able to marry their youngest daughter off and consulted an oracle which told them that Psyche was not meant to be the bride of a mortal. The oracle told them to dress Psyche in bridal clothes, take her to the top of a mountain and leave her.

Afraid to disobey the oracle, her parents, believing Psyche was to marry a monster, did as they were told. As soon as the crowd had gone a gentle breeze carried her away. She awoke near a gold and ivory house with voices telling her to enter and eat, everything she saw was belonged to her.

When she laid down to sleep Cupid came to her. Hidden by the darkness he said, "Dear, Psyche, I am the husband chose for thee by destiny. Ask not my name, seek not to see my face; only believe in my love, and all will be well with us!"

Psyche was comforted by the gentle voice. Night after night this voice would come to her and tell her of his love. In time she grew to love her mysterious husband. During the lonely days when her husband was gone, she longed for her sisters. One night she asked her husband if her sisters could visit her new home. At first he refused but at last yielded because he could not bear to cause her pain.

The sisters were jealous of Psyche's home which was more beautiful than their houses. When they questioned Psyche about her husband she told them he was a handsome prince who hunted during the day and came to her at night, another time she told them he was an old merchant with a grey beard who took care of his affairs during the day. At last caught in her lies, she confessed that she had never seen or would ever be allowed to see her husband. Drove mad by jealously, the sisters convinced Psyche that her husband must be a monster. They gave her a lamp with oil and a knife, so when night came she could see her husband's face and kill him if he was indeed a monster.

When Cupid was at last asleep, Psyche crept out of bed, grabbed her knife, and lit her lamp. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Cupid's young handsome face and accidentally spilled some hot oil on his shoulder. Cupid instantly awoke and said "Ah, Psyche! thou hast ruined our love. Now we must part forever!" He flew out the window without another word leaving a shocked and sad Psyche. Knowing that her true love was lost forever she threw herself in the river but the river carried her softly to a green river bank where she met some water nymphs that told her that Cupid was with his mother.

Fearing only that she would never see her husband again, Psyche decided to go to Aphrodite and ask for mercy. Aphrodite was never the forgiving type and decided to take out her jealously on her new daughter-in-law.

She gave Aphrodite the task of sorting a pile full of mixed seeds. With the help of ants, Psyche was able to complete this duty by the next day.

Aphrodite enraged that Psyche had successfully completed her task, demanded that she gather a hand full of golden wool from the vicious golden fleeced sheep. A nymph came to Psyche and told her to wait until night when the sheep where sleeping and to gather their fleece from the bushes they had rubbed against. With her handful of golden fleece, Psyche went to Aphrodite.

Still angry, Aphrodite sent Psyche to the underworld to get some of Persephone's beauty in a little golden box. Psyche completes this task with little difficulty and sits to rest on a river bank.  Curiosity overcomes her and she decides to sneak a peak at Persephone's beauty. Smoke escapes from the box and kills Psyche. Cupid who is flying by happens to see his wife lying dead on the river bank and is filled with grief.

With help from the gods, he is able to restore her to full health. Full of love and guilt for the trouble his wife has been through, he brings her to Zeus. Zeus commands Aphrodite to stop her punishment of Psyche and invites Psyche to drink from a goblet nectar making her too, a god.